I wanted to resign Perine.

But, looking at it in hindsight, he’s not an amazing back or anything.
There are a lot of great backs in the draft that can start day 1 and are more explosive.

I don’t want Eckeler as I think he’s overrated as a player. Great production but I think it’s more a product of the offense. Plus running backs don’t last long in this league. Paying both him and Mixon makes zero sense—even if the plan is to drop Mixon. The money should be spent on higgens and burrow this year.

I don’t want to see too much money wrapped up in the running back or tight end positions.
Sign some bargain tight ends with upside.
The draft has plenty of rbs and TEs.
I’d love to see an explosive RB drafted in the 1st or 2nd round that will play for 4-5 years on the cheap.

I think what we’ll see is some signings to solidify the secondary that don’t break the bank but have high upside like we got with Awuzie and Apple in the past.

If we spend decent money it should be oline or safety.

(03-14-2023, 08:24 PM)Tomkat Wrote: The Chargers' Austin Ekeler is now available.   Was granted permission to seek trade.

Austin Ekeler is a very good RB but too expensive

Damn I would have kept Perine, Bell & Hurst. Let Mixon, Bates, Pratt go. But we kept Pratt for a very reasonable price so I’m cool with it. Jyst hate to see Perine go, almost a certain we keep Mixon now.

(03-14-2023, 09:25 PM)TKUHL Wrote: Damn I would have kept Perine, Bell & Hurst. Let Mixon, Bates, Pratt go. But we kept Pratt for a very reasonable price so I’m cool with it. Jyst hate to see Perine go, almost a certain we keep Mixon now.

Mixon is still gone IMO.  June 1 cut saves us more $$$$

(03-14-2023, 09:34 PM)pulses Wrote: Mixon is still gone IMO.  June 1 cut saves us more $$$$

I think so too.  Even if we have cap room this year for Mixon, if you cut him that allows you to re-sign one of our other players and front load the contract with millions of extra dollars instead of spreading it out as much so we end up with friendlier cap space in the coming years.

(03-14-2023, 09:25 PM)TKUHL Wrote: Damn I would have kept Perine, Bell & Hurst. 

I would have been cool with Bell, Perine, and Pratt. 

They can’t re-sign Hurst for more than 3.75m when they couldn’t pay Perine that as a key backup, special teams player, who has proven to be a key protector and contributor on 3rd down. Younger and apart of both Conference Championship teams.  

(03-14-2023, 09:53 PM)jj22 Wrote: I would have been cool with Bell, Perine, and Pratt. 

They can’t re-sign Hurst for more than 3.75m when they couldn’t pay Perine that as a key backup, special teams player, who has proven to be a key protector and contributor on 3rd down. Younger and apart of both Conference Championship teams.  

Re-signing Hurst should not be a priority and I agree not for more than around 4 million per year.  Im sorry but we dont need him as much as we need help in other areas.  When Hurst was hurt we won every game without him.  We won with both TE #1 Hurst and TE #2 Sample missing at the same time including the K.C. game where Hurst got hurt.   When K.C. did beat us we had Hurst but but didnt have depth on the O-line.  Lack of depth at TE didnt cause us to lose to K.C.  Lack of depth on O-line did.  O-line has to be #1 priority.

If we had cut Mixon and signed Vonn Bell and Samaje instead I’d have been okay with the off-season thusfar. We’ll have to wait and see if it improves but I also hate this offseason so far.

Cincinnati, I just want to say thank you accepting my family and I with open arms. We couldn’t have asked for a better home these past four years. I will always have nothing but love for you.

— samaje perine (@samajp32) March 14, 2023

(03-14-2023, 08:29 PM)TecmoBengals Wrote:

Money > Culture.

 at least teams covet our players.

Careers are short and you never know when you'll take your last snap.  If someone offers you more money you take it.  If you don't you're an idiot.

Good for Perine and his family to cash in, he earned it. Wanted him signed and thought he would be kept, but as Ive always said RB's and WR's are the easiest to replace in draft. So not going to panic even though I'm sad to see him leave the fold.

Still think they could cut Mixon later and use his money on current players while drafting a new RB's. Heck thought we cut a few good RB's last year even.

Then use Bell, Bates and Perines money on FA signings on Safety and OT maybe.

Yet won't be surprised if they keep Mixon at this point, although I would not.

(03-14-2023, 06:59 PM)jj22 Wrote: This the Burrow deal effect the pundits were so gleeful to say would happen. AFC is surely celebrating. I think 2023 is pointing to a rebuild of sorts. Not a 3 year plan but certainly with the roster being gutted it’ll take at least a year. They aren’t in win now mode.

This should also put to rest finally this notion that players will chase championships. Broncos, Panthers, ATL. All getting chosen over remaining with Burrow and the Bengals…..

Wait Bengals are rebuilding because they lost perine? Step away from the edge.

(03-14-2023, 06:59 PM)jj22 Wrote: This the Burrow deal effect the pundits were so gleeful to say would happen. AFC is surely celebrating. I think 2023 is pointing to a rebuild of sorts. Not a 3 year plan but certainly with the roster being gutted it’ll take at least a year. They aren’t in win now mode.

This should also put to rest finally this notion that players will chase championships. Broncos, Panthers, ATL. All getting chosen over remaining with Burrow and the Bengals…..

Because we lost Bell and our backup running back? Bell wanted too much money and guarantee. Wow step away

(03-14-2023, 06:59 PM)jj22 Wrote: This the Burrow deal effect the pundits were so gleeful to say would happen. AFC is surely celebrating. I think 2023 is pointing to a rebuild of sorts. Not a 3 year plan but certainly with the roster being gutted it’ll take at least a year. They aren’t in win now mode.

This should also put to rest finally this notion that players will chase championships. Broncos, Panthers, ATL. All getting chosen over remaining with Burrow and the Bengals…..

The gutting of the roster? You serious with this? Those guys chose the money. Bates’ replacement was drafted last year. Bell and perine are replaceable.


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(03-14-2023, 11:06 PM)ah5 Wrote: Wait Bengals are rebuilding because they lost perine?  Step away from the edge.

Bengals are rebuilding wether we like it or not. The post contract Burrow era has begun. Theses aren’t the actions of a win first team. The gutting of the roster and more moves to come (cutting Mixon) should tell folks change is coming. 

We’ve gotten worse this off-season. Much. Bengals are eyeing the distant future. Not 2023. All I keep reading around here is who all we wil draft to fill the holes. If we aren’t rebuilding we’d be adding pieces to beat KC. Not losing pieces and drafting replacements for lost talent. 

We got 5 years out of the Dalton / Green rookie era before their contracts forced the gutting of the team in 2015. In a way we are still paying the price (OLine).

We should have gotten more than 3 out of the Burrow / Chase rookie era before this happened. They are 2 years early. They did do good with the free agent signings in 2020 and 2021 but these 3 year deals have come back to bite us. Free agents aren’t opting to stay. Playing with Burrow isn’t enough. Chido and Hilton will be gone after next year. No 3rd contracts is their philosophy if you believe the spin coming from The FO tin response to the Bell criticism.

The morale of the story is when you make the big game yu have to win it. These Championship teams don’t last long.

(03-15-2023, 12:04 AM)jj22 Wrote: We got 5 years out of the Dalton / Green rookie era before their contracts forced the gutting of the team in 2015. In a way we are still paying the price (OLine).

We should have gotten more than 3 out of the Burrow / Chase rookie era before this happened. They are 2 years early. They did do good with the free agent signings in 2020 and 2021 but these 3 year deals have come back to bite us. Free agents aren’t opting to stay. Playing with Burrow isn’t enough. Chido and Hilton will be gone after next year. No 3rd contracts is their philosophy if you believe the spin coming from The FO tin response to the Bell criticism.

The morale of the story is when you make the big game yu have to win it. These Championship teams don’t last long.

You're just trolling at this point.. 

(03-14-2023, 11:44 PM)BenZoo2 Wrote: The gutting of the roster?  You serious with this?  Those guys chose the money.  Bates’ replacement was drafted last year.  Bell and perine are replaceable.  


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I remember when Whits replacement was drafted and the time had come to fill the role…. Maybe you were around to remind those frustrated with losing him about that said replacement. Everyone’s replaceable right. Easy. 

(03-15-2023, 12:08 AM)bfine32 Wrote: You're just trolling at this point.. 

We did get 5 years with the previous duo before the breakdown of the roster due to their contracts.

One thing I believe about the FO is if they aren’t paying their own they aren’t paying outside free agents. One of the reasons they were active in free agency was they had no one to pay. We weren’t letting talent walk to sign talent in their place. We signed free agents to plug in spots there wasn’t talent at. 

I’m not buying they are going to replace these losses with equal quality free agents. If they were they would have paid their proven talent. 

Well they hope to sign some on the cheap that may surprise. Maybe. But that’s a classic rebuild move.

The best I can do is thank Perine for his time in Cincy. I wish him well in the future. The Bengals will be fine and find an alternative. Maybe we fill it in the draft or FA. I'm trying to remain positive.